One Horse Town
by AliceSwift
Summary: Bella moves to Bulls Gap TN, a tiny small one horse town. Nothing much goes on right? Wrong. What happens when Bella meets a boy named Edward Cullen? Will they end up together? Or will her best friend Jake get in the way? E/B. AH. R&R.
1. Chapter 1

**This is yet another new story. Why? I'm not sure but here goes nothing. Um, it's called One Horse Town. I think it could be good if you leave me thoughts to follow. I love you all and hope you all love this. Also starting new things up on FanFic. Now I will have a weekly/ monthly oneshot, depends on how they go and when I feel like writing them. This is the first chapter that I have had lyrics up at the beginning of a chapter, if there are any songs/qoutes that have inspired a certain chapter than those will go at the start. Let's go.**

**.love**

**PLT!**

~AliceSwift

**One Horse Town.**

**"...wheather you're late for church or you're stuck in jail, hey, words gonna get around...everybody...dies famous...in a small town. "**

**~Miranda Lambert. Famous in a Small town.**

**

* * *

**

I was in my mom's truck, she was driving me.

Today was the day for new beginings. I could pretend to be anything I wanted and as long as I acted it up enough but not too much, then things would work out. Not that I would do that. Not a good actress.

"Honey I wouldn't mind having you along. Phil wouldn't either."

"No, I wouldn't want to bug you guys. Not sure how much fun it would be to have me tagging along across the country."

"Bella, come on we love you."

"But I haven't seen dad since I was ten, it could be fun." It could also be fun having three teeth pulled while listening to loud metal, babies crying along with having your toes dipped in hot wax and lava being poured down your throat.

Okay Charlie's not that bad. I guess I better learn to like him, considering I would be spending all my time with him.

I was going to be the new girl in Bulls Gap. And everyone would know about it from what my mom had told me for my entire life, though she had been playing it up to sound great since Phil had got the baseball deal he wanted. The popualtion was 749. The entire town would know. Luckily I wouldn't have to tell my tall tales of Ohio. Charlie didn't farm but he did own a lot of land and a few horses, his house was far from town and it would be impossible to walk there.

"We're here." she said and pulled up in front of a small two story. I turned when I heard her sigh, she looked tired.

"You don't have to go in. Just stay here I'll call you when I get the chance."

"Okay love you." she leaned over and kissed my cheek.

"Love you too." I got out and grabbed my bags out of the back, I had brought pretty much everything I owned. Plus some new summery things I had bought before I came. The wether from what I saw online was always hot or extremely cold. Tank tops and shorts shopping spree. Yay.

"Bye sweety, call me tonight." she yelled out her rolled down window.

"Okay." I nodded and she drove away.

I sighed as I looked at the house in further detail. Not much was there. I shrugged, picked up my bags, then went aned knocked on his door.

"Here we go." I said before he answered.

"Bella!" he eexclaimed.

"Hey dad." I said as he opened the door wider for me and I stepped in. The house was nice inside, I could tell he hadn't changed it mush since him and my mom divorced.

"Here let me show you your room." he led me up the stairs and into the last room on the left. It was the same room I had when I was little, I could tell because the curtains that I used to swing from still hung there. My crib was now a bed and there was a desk with a light on it. There was also an empty self unit, a bedside table, and a dresser. I also had a white shelf hanging on my wall where my baby things used to be, a bulliten board was underneath that.

"Thanks." I said. He nodded and left. I unpacked my things. Both my closet and my dresser were half full. I put a few notbooks and things in the desk and then plugged in my radio. I wasn't big on electronics. Sure I had my iPOd and cell phone, I had a laptop too, but I didn't really see the need for new and fancy things constantly when there's going to be something else you want tomorrow and the next day.

"Bella come down here I want you to meet someone." Charlie called upstairs.

"Okay." I put down what I was working on and then went do stairs. I went outside into the warm air. It was bright and sunny with a warm breeze flowing through the air. It was so hot that even I had changed into jeanshorts and a white lace tanktop.

"Yeah?" I asked as we stood on the porch, there was an old bench swing and some crooked but stable steps leading up to the door. There was a tall boy with russet skin leaning againt the railing that lined the small sqaure platform, Charlie was on the swing, an older looking man in a wheel chair next to him.

"Bella this is Jacob and Billy they live down the road."

"Oh, nice to meet you." I said as I shook Billy's hand, I turned to Jacob and did the same.

"Nice to meet you too Bella." he said.

"I thought it'd be nice for you to know some of the kids who live around." Charlie smiled and I forced myself to return it. It was a nice gesture to make sure I feel welcome.

I was seventeen. Did I really need my dad setting me up on playdates.

"We can go for a drive if you want, I'll show you around." Jacob offered.

"Sure." I said. "Thanks."

"Let's go. We'll be back in a bout an hour." he said turning to the porch.

"Sure be back by sundown." Billy told us and we nodded. I then headed down towards the F-150 that was parked in the gravel driveway. I got in the passenger's side and then he drove away.

"So hwo long have you lived here?" I asked as he droive down the road which was also gravel.

"Well pretty much since I was born, I mean we've tried to move around but always come back here. It just feels like home since my mom died."

"Oh, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be I was only like ten. Any pain has pretty much passed."

"That's good."

"Yeah. But everyone got over that a long time ago, you're the latest gossip going around lately." he looked over at me.

"Really?" I asked nervously.

"Yeah, Charlie started talking about it in church about a month ago and no one could shut-up about it since."

"So that town's really that small? Everyone knows?"

"Pretty much. See there are few families that live here. There are the Swan's and the Black's, you know that. There are only a few others locally, the rest live a little closer to the school. My house is farthest out. Yours second. There are the Stanleys, the Newtons, the Webers, the Yorkies, the Clearwaters, the Cullens, and the Crowleys. They all are around on a pretty regular basis. Um the rest of the families own everythings, like the grocery or the bowling alley. It's all up here."

he turned and there was a long strip of stores and buildings. There were streetlights and wide sidewalk. There were a few people walking up and down. I looked at the buildings then. One said _Zazzle _in a strange hand, another said **The Lanes **in huge bubble letters. There were a few others. Grocery stores and barber shops.

"When we all get together we all go bowling. I think Leah's in Zazzle right now though. Let's go." I walked and it was like the '50's again. There were black and white checkered tiles on the floor, red leather stools, shiny juke boxes, and people in poodle skirts. It was very cool looking.

"Leah." Jake said and sat down up by the counter.

"Hey Jake. What's up?"

"Well Bella got here." he said pointing to me. Leah's face perked up and she stood to greet me.

"I'm Leah, it's nice to meet you."

"You too." I said as she let go of my hand. We stayed there for awhile longer but Leah had to get home, it was getting dark. This meant Jake and I had to get home too. We gave Leah a ride, her hourse was across the street from Jake's. Since he was already at his house I said it was fine if he stayed. I could walk home, didn't expect much crime in a town this small.

"Bye Jake." I said as I shut the screen door behind me. It was about a two minute drive to get to Jake's from my house. Maybe a ten minute walk?

I was half way there when I saw someone trying to lift bails of hay up into the bed of a truck. I walked up and helped him lift the three at a time he was doing in the truck.

"Nice of you to stop." he said and smiled. He had a southern twang to his voice as most people I assumed would. Charlie didn't, he had moved here after high school after Renee had me and hadn't picked it up. I had never felt the need to get rid of mine, I had lived in Ohio since I was tne and people always pointed it out ot me if they didn't have one. Now that wouldn't happen at least.

"Well I could've walked by but I don't see a reason to let you struggle." I smiled at him and my heart fluttered.

"Hey are you new in town, I haven't seen you around before."

"No, you haven't. I'm Bella, from what I hear of the talk you've heard about me?" I stuck my hand out and he shook it, letting it go in my opinion too soon.

"Ah Bella Swan, Chief Swan's daughter." he nodded. "All over town for the last while." I rolled my eyes, and then met his gaze. "So had anyone showed you around yet?" I thought about lying, thinking he was offering, but that wouldn't feel right to me.

"Um, yeah Jacob Black and I just got back."

"Let me guess he showed you Zazzle and the Lanes and a few other things but that was all?"

"Pretty much."

"Well he doesn't know wanything, he's lived here too long and thinks he's the best things that's ever been." he looked at me for a moment and I felt as though he was looking through me.

"What?" I asked with a nervous laugh.

"Come on." he said openeding the passenger's door of the truck.

"Where we going?"

"I'm gonna show you what everyone's missing out on." he smiled and I almost got in.

"You knwo if you're gonna drive me around I think I should get to knwo your name." I teased and he smiled.

"Edward Cullen, now come on let's go."

* * *

**Thanks for reading and please leave reviews. I know this was a pretty fluffy chapter but I think it sort of had to be. This will get intense at some point just not yet. I have a twitter so stalk me all you like, it's free to sign up. If you liked this story as soon as it's up on FanFic I will go to twitter and tweet sneak peek what's going to be in the next chapter. I do this with all my stories but just thought I'd let you know. It's called a tweet sneak peek, by the way, because it's a sneak peek on twitter. Does that work? Well it does for me. Thanks for reading!**

PLT!

~AliceSwift


	2. Chapter 2: Today Was A Fairytale

**Hey second chapter of One Horse Town and it's been forever so I'll recap the last one.**

**Last chapter Bella moved to Bulls Gap Tennessee. She's moved because her mom and Phil want to go across the country on a huge road trip this summer and she doesn't want to be a nuisance. She's staying with her dad Charlie for the summer. Jacob Black showed her around town, explaining how ridiculously small the town really was and how there were only a few families, about nine including the Swans, that lived near-by, more than half having farms or live stock at the least. After showing her around, Jake goes home and Bella walks down to her house. On her way down she stops to help a boy with some bails of hay. He tells her of how Jacob thinks he knows everything there is to know about Bulls Gap, but he doesn't. He offers to show Bella around town, show her all the things Jake didn't. His name is Edward Cullen. **

**I've recently started putting music lyrics, quotes, sayings and other things like that at the beginning of chapters that have something to do with the chapter, and then thought that it would be a good idea to give an explanation in my ending authors note, so for everyone that just skipped over this authors note is missing something awesome!  
**

**lots. of. love.**

**PLT!**

**~AliceSwift**

**One Horse Town.**

**"...but can you feel this magic in the air it must've been the way you kissed me, fell in love when I saw you standing there, it must've been the way...today was a fairy tale..."**

**Today Was A Fairy Tale.**

**Taylor Swift.**

**

* * *

**

"Well, Edward Cullen, how do I know that you aren't some freak who is going to take me off somewhere to kill me?" I was still hesitating, my mom had always taught me, especially after divorcing Charlie, not to fall head over heels for a guy. But I was afraid that with his face that might be hard to do. Pathetic.

"Do you live in the city or just watch a lot of T.V.?" he asked and smiled, I felt my face heat up. I hoped that I wasn't blushing, and if I was that he wouldn't notice. "Besides, if I was a creep it would be the talk of the town, something Charlie would have warned you about as soon as you walked through his doors." I realized that he was right, my mom had always told me about how protective he was, and I guess being chief of police he would have to be. If not him then Jake would have told me about the town freak.

"Okay, I'll let you show me around, but not right now. I have to get home soon, or Charlie would get mad."

"Alright Bella, what time would be appropriate for you?"

"Tomorrow, around ten?"

"That sounds good to me, I'll pick you up." He said and lifted his arm up to lean on the truck. His muscles bulged against the sleeves of his dark gray tee shirt. I bit my lip trying to hide a smile.

"Okay." I said and stood there waiting for him to say something. When he didn't I started to walk away, thinking about the awkward goodbye, or not goodbye really, when his hand caught my shoulder.

"Hey wait a minute." He said and my heart fluttered with his touch. I turned to face him. "At least let me drive you the rest of the way home, I have to get this hay to the Weber's house before seven anyway, your house is on the way."

"Okay." I said again, I walked around to the passenger's side door and reached for the handle. His hand got there before mine did and I heard the click of it unlatch before he pulled it open the rest of the way. No one had ever opened a door for me before. Not a friend or a boyfriend or anyone besides maybe my mom. I got in and watched him walk around the car before he had a chance to get in.

It was like something from a movie, and almost seemed to be in slow motion, the only thing really missing was back round music. He ran one hand through his tousled bronze hair and the other reached into his jean pocket. He pulled out a set of car keys and spun them around his finger. He looked back at his house and his beautiful green eyes sparkled in the golden light reflecting from the bulb that illuminated the porch. He walked with ease and grace the rest of the way around the car with a gorgeous smile on his face. He pulled open the door on his side and got in. He lifted his arm up to put the keys in and it was only with the roar of the engine that I was awaken from my trance.

Pathetic.

We drove in silence the rest of the way to my house, it was only about thirty seconds so neither of us were missing out on a good conversation. Besides, we would have all of tomorrow to talk right?

"Well Bella," he said, pulling into my driveway. "I'll see you tomorrow." I smiled as he did.

"Um, thanks for the ride." I said, getting out of the truck and stepping onto the ground outside. The dry gravel crunched beneath my feet.

"Don't mention it, like I said it was on my way."

"I'll let you get back to it then." I said and motioned to the back of the truck where the hay was placed.

"Alright." he smiled and I shut the door. He drove away down the road. A mixture of gravel and dirt flew as he he sped by the fields and other houses. I realized then that I the whole road was like that, a huge strip of gravel and dirt pounded into the ground by driving cars to form something close to rock.

I looked after him and smiled to myself. I probably stood there for about ten seconds before realizing that it was getting cold, and I was still in a tank top and shorts. I started my way up to Charlie's door, even then I glanced back a few times to make sure that he wasn't coming back.

Which I'm sure he wasn't.

I made my way up the wood porch steps and they creaked under my weight. The porch was a dulled white color and was in need of more paint in some places. The porch light was on even though the sun hadn't completely gone down yet. There was a set of chairs and a small table next to the front window. About two yards away from that hung a old bench swing. It was brown and hung from the roof of the small porch. It swung in the light breeze and I made a mental note of it as a possible place for reading.

I walked up two more steps and opened the screen door, the main door was open already. As I walked in I was overwhelmed with the scent of chicken. Charlie was a great cook and I hoped my stomach wouldn't growl with the smell. My mom always said that he was a great chef and that was the only thing she missed about him, she was never great at cooking, if Phil was gone we would end up ordering take-out. I made my way to the kitchen and leaned against the doorway.

"Smells great." I said. Things were sure to be awkward with Charlie and me. My mom had, after all, left him not the other way around. I wasn't going to hold anything against him, I was willing to make things work.

"Thanks." he said looking up from the steaming pan in the oven. He lifted it and placed it on the counter with oven mitts under neath it to keep the counter from burning. I grabbed a plate from the cupboard, and after I put some food on it I walked over to the table where Charlie sat.

"So did Jake show you around?" he asked as he cut his chicken.

"Um yeah, we met up with Leah Clearwater at the diner."

"She's a nice girl, I can see you two being friends." he smiled at me.

"Yeah." I said and nodded. I was debating whether to ask him about Edward Cullen. What if he didn't like him? What if he trouble maker and didn't want me to go with him tomorrow?

"Hey, um do you know anything about Edward Cullen?" I asked and he looked up from his plate at me. I couldn't read his face like I could sometimes, though this was the one moment I wish I could.

"Yeah, I know all of the Cullens." he nodded.

"How many are there anyway?" I asked.

"Well there's Dr. Cullen, and his wife Esme. They're great people, really nice. Then there's the oldest, Emmett, he's about twenty. Then Alice who's about sixteen, then Edward who's seventeen, Alice is adopted. You'll also mistake the Hales for Cullens. Rosalie and Jasper. They're adopted too. A few years back Emmett and Rose got married and moved out closer to the town but still staying close for Esme's sanity. Then Alice and Jasper are dating, they're nice kids."

"What about Edward? Is he alright?"

"Yeah I mean, they're all decent kids, never causing any trouble. Not the type to get into things others would, never even heard a complaint about them."

"So, if I said that he offered to show me around town then..." I hoped he got it, I didn't want him to think anything of it.

"I thought Jake already did that." he leaned back in his chair and it creaked.

"Yeah but that more familiar I am the less you'll have to explain to me where things are."

"Okay I guess that would be fine, just don't get into any trouble."

"No worries."

"Bella, I'm trusting you. I don't want to arrest my own daughter and-"

"Dad, don't worry, it'll be okay." I smiled and he chuckled.

"Okay, but I promised we would have lunch with the Weber's around twelve so do you think you kids could be back by then?" He said and stood up taking his plate to the sink, rinsing it, letting the water droplets slide down the smooth texture of the plate then drop into the drain.

"No problem." I threw the rest of my chicken away and ran upstairs. It was at least seven thirty by now and I wondered if I could see his truck drive down the road soon. I decided now I was reaching the point of insane and shouldn't be thinking so obsessively of someone I met not an hour ago.

I changed into pajamas and sat at my desk, writing in a journal all of today's events. Charlie knocked on my door and told me that he was going to bed early around nine. I said goodnight and about ten minutes later I heard his subtle snore from the next room.

It was about nine thirty and I had closed the journal, I was about to turn off the light when I heard a car stopping in front of the house. I leaned back to look out, I saw his truck sitting there on the edge of the road. He sat there for a few seconds and I got on my knees like a child. I sat on my floor at the edge of my window, enough so that I could see him but he couldn't see me.

He continued to sit there, he looked back at my room a few times, but never right at me. He shook his head and drove off.

I feel from my knees with a hand clamped over my mouth. I wasn't sure if I should be ecstatic or creeped.

I was too girly to be creeped. The guy that I thought was amazingly, breathtakingly, gorgeous had just stopped outside my house. Waited there and then drove off.

I wasn't sure of alot of things as I turned off my light and tucked myself in. I wasn't sure what life would be like here. I wasn't sure of how my relationship with Charlie would be. I wasn't sure if I would make any good friends. I wasn't sure what tomorrow would bring. I was sure of this though,

I was excited for ten tomorrow.

* * *

I woke up around eight. The warm sun flooded in from my window and leaked across my face in an effort to wake me. I looked outside and Charlie's car was gone. He must've left for work by now. I stood up and walked over to the mirror. I brushed my hair and put some eyeliner on. I walked over to my closet and chose what to wear. I picked up a yellow sundress that I bought and had never really gotten the change to wear. I also got out a pair of pink flip flops and put those on. I went to the bathroom and brushed my teeth before heading downstairs. I called my mom and told her about my plans today. She wished me good luck and by the time I got off the phone with her it was about nine.

Only an hour. I decided to write in my diary again.

_Dear Diary,_

_It's only an hour until I'll go to meet him. I hope my heart doesn't pound out of my chest and if it does I hope he doesn't notice._

_My head is full of different conversations that could be spoken today. I'm sure that if I knew where I was headed it would be easier to know how those would work out._

_Only twenty minutes now. _

_I think getting ready this early was a mistake. I don't want to seem to desperate or anything and I'm not, I'm just excited that's all. What is it about _him _ that makes my heart flutter each time I see him. Even when I think of him my heart beats so violently,. threatening with each pound that it will burst. He stopped outside last night in his truck on his way back from the Weber's and I was so anxious I thought I might die. I know that's the sterotypical thing ot say when you like a guy alot, but I'm serious. I thought I had a heart attack. _

_Ten minutes. I could start walking down to his house now. It wouldn't be so bad if I was only a few minutes early right? Unless he's one of those guys who don't get dressed until five minutes before they're supposed to leave._

Just then someone honked a horn outside. I looked out the window and saw his truck in the driveway.

_He's here! I'll write later._

_love always,_

_bella._

I shut the book and hid it between the couch cushions before heading towards the door. I stopped to make sure my hair was in place in the mirror beside the coat hooks. I walked outside and he was now leaning against the truck on the passenger's side. He looked like a movie star, there was nothing else to compare it to. His beauty and his presence was what made him like that.

"Hey Bella." he said comfortably, as if we had been friends for years instead of acquaintances for hours.

"Hi Edward." I said and he opened my door for me again. I got in and waited for him to walk around the car as he did last night but he didn't. He walked around the back so I couldn't see him. Through all the anticipation of today, in that moment, I somewhere wondered if he saw me watching him last night and if he had taken the back way so I couldn't. I relaxed a little when he got in beside me and smiled.

"Ready?" he asked.

"As I'll ever be." _ No! _ I my mind screamed at me, but it was too late. He had already pulled away and was driving down the road.

"So you're Isabella Swan." he stated, not a question but a fact.

"It appears so." I said.

"Well, it's just a shock that you're finally here. Charlie hasn't stopped talking about you since the day you told him you coming back."

"Good things I hope?"

"Yes about you at least." I wondered what that was supposed to mean, but realized that I was too high on Cullen to pay attention to his answer if I asked.

"So where are we going exactly?" I asked.

"Places." he said and looked over at me with gorgeous eyes that bored into mine for a split second before turning back to the road.

"No really, tell me."

"But it's a surprise. And we're almost there."

"Okay." I rolled my eyes and looked out my window. Trying to control my thudding heart and ragged breath before we got to where we were going. He drove down past where Jake had taken me. Past the diner and past the bowling alley. Past the church and past the post office. He turned onto a dirt, turning mud, road and the took the truck up a narrow hill. He crossed and old wood bridge and I wonder if it would crack under the pressure of the truck. The trees, which had been covering the deep blue, cloudy sky, had mostly cleared and it was light again.

"Are we still in Bulls Gap?" I asked.

"Yes, just the back roads." he laughed lightly before stopping the truck. "We have to walk the rest of the way. it isn't cleared for any sort of vehicle, hardly anyone comes back here anymore." he said and got out as did I. "Don't worry though, I know my way around."

"Okay." I said and he smiled.

We walked up a dirt path which eventually turned into the same texture that the road outside my house was. The cement/mud mixture lined a gorgeous meadow. A gorgeous, wild, over grown meadow which was healthy and blossoming with the sun's return since winter. It had daisies and daffodils and tiger lilies and two lips everywhere, all battling for attention. There were butterflies and bees and birds and squirrels. It seemed almost like something from a fairy tale. The princess takes a walk in the woods and sings to her woodland friends. The flowers and grass stretch up to hear her voice and all the creatures gather around to hear her sweet tune.

"Edward, this is gorgeous." I said in awe, walking out into the middle of the meadow in front of him. "How did you find this place?"

"Well, I would always pass the road that I used to get here and wonder what was back here, one day I decided to just wander back and this is what I found. Most don't know about it," he walked out to join me and laid down in the middle of the grass. I could tell why he had. The grass was green and healthy. It looked almost moist but that couldn't be true for the sun's rays would have evaporated any liquid from the blades. It looked warm and soft and inviting, like a soft green pile of feathers that had all over lapped and intertwined with each other. I laid down next to him and see that his face next to the grass makes it look even more intriguing.

"Besides, if they wanted to know what was back here they would have come to get it themselves."

"Don't you think it's a little selfish?" I asked, propping myself up on an elbow so I could see him better.

"In what way?" he asked, squinting into the sun behind me head. He was sprawled out on the ground with his hands behind his head. The light that reflected off his clean, crisp, white tee shirt blinded me and I squinted back at him.

"That you're keeping all of this beauty to yourself." I lay back down and he turned to look at me again.

"Yes, but if I share it, it might get taken away from me." His beautiful eyes once again bored into mine. Except this time we weren't driving we weren't in a truck where passing cars would see us. It was just me and him. Here together. No one but us and in that moment I felt as though we could go on like that forever. Just sitting here looking into each others soul though our eyes. This was a place where we could focus on each other and nothing else.

So there we lay staring at each other for a good while. The warm summer breeze grazed our faces and blew hair in our eyes. Leaves from surrounding trees freed from the branch and fluttered to the ground in the same way my heart did. The butterflies flew over our heads and into the skies above us. This moment was perfect.

This was crazy. This was not right. This was ridiculous. This was magical. This was beautiful. This was a fairy tale.

I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my forearm. It was like something had been pushed into my shoulder, a blunt needle or toothpick. Something sharp had been pushed through my skin and it's germs had plunged into my veins, spread through out my bloodstream. I pictured it in my head. Something was bulging from beneath my skin and was about to poke through. The skin was wrapped around the point and the piercing sound made a fresh ripping noise.

"Ouch." I yelped, thoughtlessly. I was immediately annoyed with myself for ruining the one perfect moment I might have gotten in this town, though I wasn't all that concerned. If Edward was around most of my moments would be better.

down my neck through my heart out my lung around my six pack down the leg out the knee.

"What, what's wrong?" he asked concerned. Leaning up on his elbow. For a second through my thoughts I thought that if I just went back to laying there and looking at him then maybe I could get my bliss back. My arm really did hurt though, too much to ignore it.

"Ugh, nothing I think a bee stung me." Why did I have to be so weak? A bee sting and I'm freaking out? Really?

"Let me see if I can get the stinger out." he said taking my arm. The touch of his cool skin against mine was like a syringe of excitement that sent thrills through my veins. He poked at the skin where the stinger was. "Bee really got you good." he said.

"I guess so." I said, looking back down at my arm, dragging my gaze away from his face. He laughed slightly and I wondered what about this he found funny.

"What's so funny?" I asked finally.

"It's just that, you're such a baby." he said shaking his head, still laughing and the joyous sound only grew louder as the moment got older.

"What?" I asked, sort of shocked by his words.

"I mean-" he stopped and seemed to remember something. "Nothing, it's nothing never mind, now let's work on the stinger."

"No, tell me. I was the one being laughed at." I said and he looked up at me with serious eyes.

"Okay, but you can't tell anyone."

"I swear." I said worried now. Through my concern I was shocked at how everything had gone from being perfect to ominous so quickly.

He leaned down to his ankle and rolled his jeans up so that I could see his knee, a huge scar stretched across the smooth looking skin.

"Oh my God, what happened?" I asked.

"Well, a few years ago I started my hay delivery thing. I was only about fifteen so I was still pretty young. I had my permit though so I would still drive the truck to my stops. Well on my list of delivery addresses I get this weird address, that leads back there." he pointed behind me and I glanced back. "So I go back to his house and I got this ominous feeling, the creek wasn't running right, the animals weren't out, the clouds weren't moving, something bad was going to happen. But the deal is if I miss a stop I'm fired and this is one job that when you're seventeen, in this town you can keep. So, even though my instincts said no, I keep going and my truck stops. It got stuck in the mud and I didn't have a way to get out of it. I tried pushing it and pulling it but nothing worked. I got the hay out of the back and brought it with me, now knowing that if I had to get out I would be running. I get to this guy's house and it trashed. Like sticks and mud for a house and they were aloud to call it suitable living conditions. I thought it was ridiculous. But I go up and put the hay down. I go and knock on the door and this girl answers she was, sixteen maybe, and completely torn up. She looks at me with these desperate, bloodshot eyes, and she thanks me before running past me and going off. Then this guy comes to the door, with a gun, telling me I let his girl get away."

"Oh my God what did you do?" I asked in awe.

"I told him that it didn't look like she wanted to be there. Then he got really mad."

"What did he do?"

"He shot me." he said again with serious eyes.

"Oh my God, in the knee?"

"No, in the neck. The bullet went down my neck, through my hear,t out my lung, around my stomach, down my leg, and out the knee."

"You're such a liar." I scoffed at him.

"Yeah," he held up the stinger. "But you didn't feel a thing."

"Thank you." I said and he handed me the stinger.

"You can keep that." he smiled and I laughed.

"Yeah, let me just just uh- um..." I threw it behind my back and we laughed together. Falling back into our perfectness easily.

We spent the rest of the morning like that. Just him and me, not worrying or wondering about anything but each other. The surprising thing to me was that we hadn't talked all that much. I hadn't asked about him, nor had he asked of me. But somehow I knew that we would get to know each other soon. Very soon if my hopes came through.

I let my thoughts wander to his eyes. How they were a beautiful, bright green, like emeralds. I wondered how dull my brown ones looked in comparison. I had got my eyes from Charlie and...

Charlie! Lunch!

"What time is it?" I asked, my voice sounded panicked.

"About twelve...why?" he asked after glancing at his phone.

I still had thoughts about maybe telling Charlie I forgot, but I would have felt bad about it later and I would get to spend more time with Edward than just this.

"Charlie told me I had to be back by twelve we're going to lunch with the Weber's." I said trying to get up. He hoped to his feet quickly and helped me up.

"Come on, we'll get there in time." he said and took my hand, pulling me through the way we had taken to get here.

We reached his truck in no time. I hoped in and he was next to me in seconds.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

"As I'll ever be." I said and he smiled. He sped off and soon we were outside my house.

"Thanks." I said, not sure how to say goodbye. How do you end one of the greatest mornings of your life? "I'll talk to you later." I reluctantly unbuckled and pushed the door open.

"Bella." he said as the car door swung shut. I reopened it.

"Yes?"

"Would it be okay if I maybe came by tomorrow night? We could go get dinner or something." he suggested and I smiled, resisting the urge to beam and, possibly, squeal with excitement.

"Uh, yeah. Most definitely, I would love that." I told him and nodded.

"Great, I'll be by then around seven?"

"Okay." I said quickly before my heart pounded out of my chest.

"I'll see you then." he smiled.

"Yeah, I'll see you." I felt the blush fill my cheeks and tried to adjust my hair so it would hide my cheeks.

"Goodbye Bella." he said.

"Bye Edward." I risked on look up at his eyes, they looked honest and sincere.

I shut the door and he drove away.

I was going to dinner tomorrow night with a guy I barely knew. Maybe I was falling to hard, maybe I was going down at just the right speed, either way I'd find out tomorrow.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Leave me a review telling me what you thought of the chapter, what you think will happen in the next chapter, or what should happen in the next chapter. I appreciate all reviews I get and I will respond to all of them that I get.**

**The music at the top, for me, fits into the chapter because, as Bella said many times before, it was like a fairytale being with Edward. Fairytales are things that would never happen in real life and Bella never though she would spend the day gazing into a guy's eyes that she barely knew. So that's why I used those lyrics.  
**

**lots. of. love.  
**

**PLT!**

**~AliceSwift**


	3. Chapter 3:When It Rains

Here's a new chapter of One Horse Town.

lots. of. love.

PLT!

~AliceSwift

"When it rains, on this side of town it touches everything."

-When it Rains.

-Paramore.

* * *

Angela and I had managed to get away during lunch. My first impression of her was a good one. A shy girl with a decent amount of intelligence was never a bad thing in my opinion. As long as she could hold a conversation I was sure we would have things to talk about. So while our parents were dining somewhere on the out skirts of town, Angela and I went back into the place Jake and I had been just yesterday. I know learned that the street was called Stanley Avenue, named after the, apparently, infamous Stanley family. However, every one just called it town. Going into town, coming from town, if you said it they would understand what you were talking about. If it wasn't town it was neighborhood. Neighborhood had houses and families, town had things to do, places to eat, and things to buy in shops that were around. It seemed strange to me that neighborhood was just across the street from town, but this whole place was small, so it probably only seemed strange to me.

Angela took me to a small cafe` which served coffee, donuts, and other breakfast-like items. We walked up to the small dark wood counter and the small girl behind the counter took our ice coffee orders. We waited until she brought them back, we paid, then went and found a table on the other side of the place.

It was a very warm place. It had the look of a log cabin on the inside, though the outside was just bricks. There were small area rugs that lingered around on the floor and there were big chairs that invited you to come a read in. I figured that if I had any spare time it would either be spent here or down the street at the bookstore.

"So, how are you liking it here so far?" Angela asked with a smile. She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose and took a sip of her coffee.

"I like it alot." I said. "I find this whole place intriguing." I tucked my hair behind my ear.

While only a day ago that statement would've been a lie, this time it wasn't. I found this place interesting, and strange in it's own unique way and I was excited to see if there was anything else that I might not have seen yet.

"It must be different for you huh?" she asked. "Big city to a small town in such a short amount of time, you must be going insane. At least I would." she smiled and so did I.

"Well, it's different, you're right, but it's not so drastic that I won't adjust soon. I will."

"That's good, school starts in about two months and I hope you're okay by then."

"Yeah, where is school anyway?"

"It's up the road. The two counties share since everything's so small. There are only about eighty kids in our class."

Eighty kids? Back home I had at least seven times that in my class. That was crazy!

"Wow, that's dangerously tiny."

"Yeah, let's just say I hope you're on everyone's good side."

"I hope so." I said.

"So have you made any friends since you've been here." My mind wandered to Jake and Leah then to Edward.

"Yeah, um, Jacob Black and Leah Clearwater showed me around yesterday, and today Edward Cullen-"

"Edward Cullen?" she perked up. Must've struck a nerve or something.

"Um, yes, Edward, why?"

"Nothing," she said. "It's just that I'm honestly surprised that he decided to take such a chance." I processed that and came up with a response.

"What, is he shy or something?" I asked and she looked a little confused. Or maybe looking for a way to explain it in her mind.

"No, not shy. Just socially inactive."

"Really?" I said. With Edward's charm I figured he was friends with everyone.

"Yeah, I mean he's always keeping to himself. He'll talk and chime in on a conversation here or there, but besides that it's sort of broody."

"No way."

"Yeah, so what did you guys do?"

Though I liked her, I didn't want to tell Angela what had gone on between me and Edward that day. I didn't want her to know about the meadow, or the story he had told me while getting the stinger out of my finger, or any of the wonderful things that happened. I wanted it to be something special between me and him, not me, him, and Angela. So this one was mine.

"Not much, he just showed me around town and where a few of the families lived. Shared a little history and then we went home."

"That's too bad, everyone would have mad respect for you if you broke through his shell of a self."

"Really? It just seemed like he was friends with everyone, really nice and personable." I said, honestly and sincerely surprised.

"Yeah, I'm not lying, I have no reason to. He's sort of strange actually, but his face makes up for any odd personality traits."

"Yeah, I noticed that."

"Well, good for you. I mean that, I've known him for years and still haven't said more than a few sentences to him."

This sort of shocked me, and even after moments of processing, I wasn't sure it the shock was good or bad. Why was Edward so interested in me? I mean, sure I was the new girl in town, and from the looks of it they didn't get new people around here a whole lot, but if he was as hard to get through to as Angela said, then shouldn't I find it odd that he took such an interest in me? Enough of an interest to stop in front of my house at midnight. Enough to spend the whole day with someone he barely knew.

Then again, why did I trust him to do all that? Did he find my trust in him strange? I got in a car with him last night with no knowledge of him except his name and where he lived, other than that I was making that decision completely based on instinct and his convincing me. He could've easily taken me off into some dark alley and done terrible things to me, yet I wasn't frightened by him in the least.

It might have been because he was beautiful, and it might have been because he had a voice that could cure cancer, and it might have also been because his eyes were a shade of green that was found in only the deepest of mines, but no matter why I did it, it happened. And it was stupid of me to think that I could trust someone based off of one day together.

Then again, maybe this means something. Like fate or destiny where we found eachother and then, since we were already soul mates, instantly connected and if I did anything to conflict with that then I would be messing with something, and someone, much greater than me.

However, that was doubtful. Edward wasn't my soul mate and I wasn't his. He was a boy with a pretty face and I was a girl who let love take over all other emotions.

"Thanks." I said and she laughed. I faked a half smile and the conversation moved on from him to school. She asked me about my old one, I asked her about my new one, and Edward Cullen wasn't mentioned another time.

* * *

_Dear Diary,_

_I had an absolutely beautiful day with Edward today. Beautiful may sound a bit tacky, but that's what it was. Beautiful, and gorgeous, and amazing and wonderful and perfect. _

_But I'm scared of that beauty. I 'm scared that I don't know enough about him. He could do this all the time with girls. Charm them ,get what he wants, then leaves them. Leaving me not only emotionally tattered, but probably mentally, and possibly physically. _

_And now, I made a promise. Being charmed by his smile, I accepted his invitation out to dinner for tomorrow night. _

_While that may sound simple and easy, it isn't in the least. It may be one of the hardest things to accomplish gracefully and smoothly on the face of the planet._

_Really, I'm being serious. The drive won't take long, but then when we're actually at the table eating there has to be conversation right? I was never good at that and what if he's not either? What if we both equally lack at conversing in small talk? Then that leaves us in an awkward silence and that is never good. Ever._

I put the book down, not bothering to finish the entry. If I was going to live through it soon, then why write about it now and just drive myself insane? Imagine what could be-all the good, and all the bad.

* * *

The next day, for the most part, was hardly impressionable. I kept myself busy to keep from thinking about that night. I stayed inside all day when Charlie was at work, I needed to unpack anyways.

Jake came over later that night. He said that him and his dad got in an argument and he needed to get his mind off of things, and while I was unsure of why he came to me for comfort instead of Leah or someone else that he had known longer, I couldn't deny him of support. I had time before Edward and I went to dinner, so I agreed.

We walked in silence for about ten minutes, since I only had a general idea of where I was and what my surroundings were I let him lead us down the roads. Only an occasional car passed us, nothing but the quiet song of crickets and the rustling of small creatures in bushes filled the air.

Finally I decided on how I would start the conversation, then did.

"So, do you want to talk about it."

"What?" he asked, seeming like he came out of his own little world he was walking in and back into the one where he was walking with me. "Oh, um, no." he said simply. Saying it so I couldn't argue with him. Just saying it and then looking down towards the ground again.

"Um, okay." So what do you do when you tried to start a conversation but all you got in return was an odd response, followed by an awkward silence? You wait. Wait for the other person to start talking. I wasn't normally one to say that everything had to be even, meaning that by staying quiet I was protesting that since I tried to start talking now he had to start the conversation, I just honestly didn't know how to be there for him when I didn't even know much about him.

With neither of us starting a conversation, Jake clearly not willing, me not sure how to, we just walked in silence to the quiet song of crickets.

I honestly couldn't figure out why Jake had asked me to walk with him. It's not like I minded, but as I mentioned wouldn't he want one of his closer friends to walk with him.

Or maybe it was something completely obvious. I thought back about everything I had heard and knew about Jacob and then realized, or had an educated guess, about why he had asked me.

"Jacob," I paused and he looked at me. "There wasn't a fight with you and your dad...was there?" he looked at me and his eyebrows came together in confusion.

"What? Bella do you-" he stopped and then looked at me, studying my eyes. Trying to see if the facade he had put up was failing, if I really knew that he liked me.

Here's how I knew, and it's very convoluted but just try to follow along.

Angela told me that Leah told her that Jake told Leah that he liked me. Why he would tell her that, I'm not sure. Maybe they were related, or just that close, but whatever the reason then I saw the truth now. I saw that he did like me, and then he admitted it.

"No, Bella, there wasn't a fight." he looked down and I saw a rosy color creep upon his russet cheeks.

"Then, why did you ask me on a walk?" I asked, not wanting to embarrass him further. And if I was wrong I didn't want to seem conceited.

"Don't make me say it." he plead.

"Well, I'm certainly not going to say it." I encouraged him to complete the thought.

"I like you Bella. That's that and I don't want anyone to take you before I get the chance." I realized that we had stopped walking now. We were frozen, looking into eachother's eyes, statues on the side of the street.

"How can you be so sure?" I asked. How could anyone be sure that they had feelings for another person after only a few days?

"I don't know. I just knew when I first saw you and talked to you I liked you." He seemed flustered. "You took my breath away." he looked into my eyes then and started to come towards me.

He looked at my lips and I knew that he was leaning in for a kiss.

How do you decline a kiss respectfully and politely without seriously damaging the other's feelings?

"Jake I just really want to be friends." I said, but he continued to move in towards me.

I waited for a moment to see if he would respond. When he didn't I spoke again but I then found that it was too late.

He had me in his arms then, titling his head so he could touch my lips to his comfortably.

"Jacob, seriously. Quit it." his lips met mine and I struggled to get out of his arms. I pushed against his chest and I even tried ducking out of the circle that he enclosed me in, but I was getting no where.

"Just relax Bella." he said into my throat, his lips feverishly pressing against my pulse.

"Jake stop!" I yelled as his hands started moving up the back of my shirt.

It's amazing how fast the mind can work in moments of fear isn't it?

I had time to think about everything that would happen after he was through with me. There was absolutely no way that I was done fighting him, but I definitely was afraid that I wouldn't be strong enough to fight him off.

There were the normal thing that every teenager worries about when it comes to times like this, or so I've heard, I wouldn't know. Pregnancy and diseases. Then what happened if I did get pregnant. My teenage days were gone because I wasn't strong enough to push some guy away from me? That hardly seemed right. And worse, would the boy who did this to me be there when the baby did arrive? Or would he run just like a scared child?

"Jacob quit!" I said, tears streaming down my face. I was yelling but his hand went over my mouth. By now my bra clasp was undone and he could easily get it off. He was now one handedly working on my pants zipper. I was kicking my legs trying to get away from him. He was just so much bigger and stronger than me, and though I'd noticed before, it was even more evident now.

"Shut-up!" he threatened, and even though I wouldn't have listened it didn't matter because his lips attacked my mouth anyways. He shoved his tongue down my throat and I gagged, not that that stopped him.

Then, even if this didn't hurt me in the physical sense, there was the mental emotions that mattered too. If I didn't get pregnant now I would eventually have kids right? This would constantly hover over my head like a dark cloud, always threatening to start pouring at any second. When my daughter needed boy advice I would be an obvious, and rightful, bias. She would eventually find out all the dirty things that happened to her mother.

I noticed my surroundings now. He had pushed me against a tree and was slowing making his way towards the ground with me. There were no houses and no cars that would come by and see him. No one would catch him red-handed and no one would see what he was doing to me. It would just be my word against his and who would everyone believe? The sweet kid they had known for years and watched grow into a respectable young man? Or the girl who was new to town and probably attention thirsty?

Take your pick.

That was when I just started screaming. No one heard me, no one was there to listen, but it was just the last thing I could do , my last huge protest before he had his way with me.

"Get off of her!" I heard a furious growl from only a few paces away. My eyes were shut tight and my screaming came to a halt as I waited for the voice to come and rescue me.

All the pressure Jake was putting on my body was removed and I rolled over to my stomach.

I knew that I should get up and move, I knew that I should have run away, or at least go an thank my savior, but I couldn't find it in myself. I was emotionally strained and all I could do was weep. That and then think, again, about what could've happened if the voice hadn't come and saved me.

"Fair game!" Jake rebelled. It hurt to hear his voice again.

There was silence, nothing but a cricket song.

"Jacob Black, I suggest you go home before you seriously get hurt!" The voice said, I recognized it now. My ears did at least, my mind was still racing a mile a minute.

I then heard footsteps running, getting fainter and fainter. And I heard footsteps running towards me. The hands turned me over and picked me up. Strong arms held me tight, a close comfort that made me feel secure enough to open my eyes.

I saw his face and was thankful.

Edward stood there withe me in his arms, cradling me against his chest. I was limp and tired in his arms.

"Bella," he said gingerly pushing hair away from my face, wet with tears.

I then found myself comparing. Lots of things. Jacob to Edward. Before to after this event. Arizona to Tennessee.

Jacob- someone I thought I knew. Someone who showed me around town and was polite to me. Now I saw through that. All I saw now was that he wanted one thing and one things only. And he would've gotten it if it weren't for Edward.

Edward- someone I could now trust. Someone who was now staring down at me with a worried, yet caring look in his eyes as he tried to get me to speak to him. Someone who I now believed I could truly trust. Someone who I had doubted before.

Before-everything was backwards. I thought I could trust Jake, I thought it was bizarre that I was trusting Edward.

After-and now it proved that I was wrong. As I had been multiple times before, but now I realized more than ever how critical judgment is.

Arizona-some place where I had fit in fairly well. Some where this never wouldn't have happened to me. Some place where I never would've met Edward Cullen.

Tennessee-some place where good things, like being close to and amazing person, came out of terribleness. Terribleness inflicted by someone who you thought you could trust.

"Bella can you hear me?" he asked. His hands were carefully moving up my thighs, I was vaguely concerned until I realized that he was pulling my pants up the best he could without making me feel uncomfortable.

I reached up and touched his face.

"Yes." I said, my voice rough from screaming. He took me to his truck. Laying me in to small, cozy back seat, the heat from the air ran across my face and sent a shiver through my whole body.

"Shhh." he caressed my cheek. He climbed in, lifting my head up so that when he sat down he could lay my head on his lap.

We sat like that for the longest time, so long that it started to rain. A subtle pour that left the faintest mark in my mind.

"Bella," he said quietly. "Do you want me to take you back to your house?" he asked. I could tell that he was nervous about hurting my feelings somehow or making me feel worse than I already did.

"No." I said. Even though I should want a familiar setting and background to fall asleep to, I didn't. The last thing I wanted to do was have to explain to Charlie why there were scratches on my face and dirt covering my clothes.

The last thing I wanted to do was talk about it.

"Where do you want me to take you then?" he said, my eyes opened and I saw his crooked smile from above.

"Wherever you're going." I said honestly.

"I'm going back to my house." he said. "My sister is spending the weekend out of town and my parents won't be home until late."

"How late?" I said, faintly coming through the blur and back into reality.

"Early morning late." he said.

"That's fine, as long as you're there." I said and he leaned down. Mid way he hesitated, unsure if he should test me. I nodded and tried to lift up so my forehead could touch his lips, but in doing so I found that my arms were so contorted underneath me that I couldn't lift my weight.

He leaned down and pressed his soft lips carefully and slowly against my forehead. He strapped me in, somehow, and got out. He then walked around to the driver's seat. The car hummed to life after the keys were put in the ignition.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

"As I'll ever be." I instinctively responded.

He drove away down the round. The rain the only sound I heard before I fell to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4: Not Made Of Glass

**This was an awesome chapter for me to write so I hope it's just as fun to read. It's sort of short but I really love it. Um, I originally planned on this chapter to be two parts so maybe I'll make a part one part two thing. When I was writing though the chapter itself was like, _I'm long enough, end me here! Every thing will work out! _So I listened. However, the chapters will probably have different names. Check out my writing schedule to see when I'll be posting my next chapter,part two, I just posted my schedule on my profile so go have a look at it. **

**Please, enjoy this chapter and read it knowing that it was written with love. **

**Thank you and please leave a review.**

**"Lost in a moment when it's only me and you. There is no other place I'd rather be but here. And those are only times that make the world disappear."**

**~Happy the Hard Way.**

**~Every Avenue.  
**

**lots. of. love.**

**PLT!**

**~AliceSwift  
**

* * *

I woke up almost twenty minutes later outside of Edward's house to the sound of a car door shutting.

"Shhhh, I'm just carrying you inside. Go back to sleep." I opened my eyes just enough to see his face. He was looking out in front of him, effortlessly opening the door before taking me up the stairs of his house. I closed my eyes again.

"Edward? What the hell are-" I heard a soprano female voice from across the room.

"Shhh," the voice was shut down by Edward's gentle shushing. "It's Isabella Swan, Chief Swan's daughter. She needs somewhere to stay." there was silence for a moment and I felt as though they were sharing words through their eyes.

"Okay." she said, her voice still suspicious.

There was the quiet sound of a door opening and closing. The next thing I knew Edward was tucking me under sheets. I opened my eyes again to see that I was on a bed in what appeared to be a male's room.

I kept them open long enough to see Edward leaving his room with a pillow and fleece blanket.

"Hey," I said trying to stop him, my voice was scratchy and I cleared my throat.

"Yes?" he asked. I noticed that he was in nothing but a very thin gray tee shirt and sweat pants.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm sleeping on the couch. Don't worry, I'll be up to get you in the morning." he smiled and my head spun.

"You don't have to go." I said quietly. "It's your bed after all."

"I don't want to make you sleep on the couch Bella." he said.

"That's not what I meant." he looked at me, momentarily confused, then had a look of slight enlightenment before walked over to the other side of the bed.

He pulled up the covers, letting a breeze of cold air come over my body, then laid down beside me, pulling the covers back over himself and readjusting the sheets on my side of the bed.

At first, he made sure to keep on his side of the bed, never intruding my space. I could tell that I made him nervous.

"Edward, I'm not that fragile. You don't have to treat me as if I am."

"I just don't want to make you more uncomfortable than you already are."

"I'm not uncomfortable." I said, knowing what he meant but also knowing that I was perfectly safe next to him.

"Bella, after everything that's happened tonight you can't honestly tell me that you're perfectly fine can you?" I turned over to face him. It was dark and I could barely see his green eyes looking into mine.

"What Jake did has nothing to do with you. Just because one creep pulled some stunt doesn't mean I'm going to loose faith in all guys forever. Especially ones who save me. Thank you, Edward, because if you weren't there..." I drifted off mid thought. If Edward hadn't been there I could very well be on the side of the road, somewhere close to death. I could also still be in the arms of Jacob Black. What that would bring me was beyond comprehension.

Edward just scanned me for a moment before reaching his hand out to caress my face. The touch sent a shiver down my spine and he quickly jerked away.

"No," I said and brought his still lingering hand to my cheek, his palm covering half of my face. His eyes narrowed in on my lips and he started leaning towards me. I locked my eyes with his, scared of what might happen next, hoping that those beautiful pools of green could get me through whatever that might be.

As he neared closer my head spun, never thinking in a million years that going on a walk with Jacob Black would lead to kissing Edward Cullen on his bed.

His lips barely brushed against mine at first. The touch was so light that I was unsure if it was actually his lips, or just his floral scented breath over my mouth.

He backed away momentarily, seeming a little shocked in spite of himself.

My heart was racing and my blood was pumping through my veins faster than I ever imagined it could.

"Edward," I whispered. "I'm not made of glass." I said, referring back to my mention about not being as fragile as he was treating me, still sort of annoyed that he was.

He smiled crookedly and I could feel a hot blush come over my cheeks just before he swiftly leaned into kiss me. His hand went to my cheek, careful but forceful at the same time. His soft lips moved with mine, not as two people but as one perfect unit. My arms draped around his neck and his fingers knotted with my hair, tugging slightly and causing me to whimper in both pain and pleasure. He smiled at the noise and his cool breath caressed over my tongue before he loosened his grip on my hair. I put my hands on his back, trying in someway to close any remaining space between our bodies. In this moment, I wanted nothing more than to be here with him. Nothing more than to have him kiss me for forever. I wouldn't have to face tomorrow or the next day, I would never have to explain to Charlie what had happened, I would never have to face Jacob again. I could live forever on in this moment of shallow breaths and soft gestures. I could live forever in this moment with Edward Cullen.

But since whenever we wish for eternity things seem to come to a close, he pulled away. Leaving me with a warm aching in my stomach and a hummingbird heart beat.

I stayed with my eyes closed for a moment. I never thought I would experience anything like this, not just the kiss, but the night as a whole. And if I had imagined any the previous events, I never would've guessed that it would have an ending as bliss as this.

"Bella, I-" Edward breathed into my ear. I looked over at him, opening my eyes to his face, painted with an expression that said sorry.

"Shhh," I said. "Let's just sleep." I smiled as I subconsciously repeated his words and he did too. He kissed my forehead gingerly before taking me into his strong arms' embrace.

He hummed a slow, quiet tempo to me as I seeped onto unconsciousness.

I woke up the next morning curled up on the side of the bed. Alone.

At first I thought that last night must've been a dream. I fell asleep on the couch reading, or watching t.v. and Charlie had guided me upstairs, I just hadn't remembered.

My eyes opened to reveal an unfamiliar room and bed sheets that, while I didn't recognize the look of them, I could recall the feel.

I was in Edward's room.

I looked over to make sure that he wasn't there, then caught sight of a clock radio on his bedside table. The time blinked in bright green letters, telling me that it was 7:16 a.m. Time to get up and moving.

I tiptoed over to his door carefully, the whole experience feeling foreign, untouched. I put my hand on his cold doorknob and opened it carefully, swinging the wood door silently over the carpet.

I entered the hallway and made my way down to the steps. I padded down the uncharted territory. Praying that his parents weren't downstairs, and if they were that Edward had at least explained why I was in his room. Sure, we had kissed, but I wasn't some whore that came into towns and corrupted perfectly good people.

That would be just what I needed right? If there was as much gossip in this town as Edward kept telling me, I'm sure that the chief's daughter walking down the stairs of the Cullen's house in the morning was sure to make it's way around.

I walked into what looked like a living room. I cleared my throat.

"Um, Edward?" I said, still praying that his voice would respond with a simple but velvet _ yes Bella?_

"Is that you Bella?" I heard a vaguely familiar voice say. The voice was then followed by the sound of a few soft footsteps and a short, dark haired girl stood in front of me.

"Yes. Uh, listen, I'm really sorry for all this." I said gesturing to myself in my fresh-out-of-bed state. "I don't know if Edward's explained to you what happened last night, but I can assure you that-"

"Don't," she said with a slight smile. "Edward told me everything that happened last night. Jacob Black." she said, her eyes filled with hate despite the smile on her lips. "He told me that he was just helping you out by giving you someplace to stay, nothing more." even though the words she spoke suggested nothing, the wink that she aimed at me surely did. "Oh," she said, setting her cream colored mug down on an oak desk. "I'm Alice by the way, Edward's sister. Don't worry our parents won't be home for almost a week so you can stay here for at least that long if need be."

"Thank you, so much." I said to her and she gleamed at me with helpful eyes.

"Don't mention it. Also, there's a shower upstairs, first door on your left. I know you'll need it soon." she said with understanding, knowing eyes.

"Thank you, but do you have a phone I could possibly use. I just need to call my dad." I really didn't want to be a bother, but I also didn't want to him to go crazy searching the town for me.

"Right here." she said, pulling a purple phone out of her pocket and handing it to me. I first dialed Angela's number, which was, thankfully, still in my back pocket on the folded up piece of paper.

"Hello?" she answered. Sleep and shock in her voice.

"Hey, it's Bella."

"Oh, hi Bella what's up? And why are you calling from Alice Cullen's phone?"

"I'm at her house but I need you to do a favor for me."

"Okay, anything."

"If my dad calls your house, for any reason, even though he shouldn't, I need you to tell him that I spent the night at your house last night."

"Um.." she seemed hesitant. "Okay, sure but why?"

"I was hanging out with Edward, we lost track of time and I ended up coming to his house and crashing on their couch. I'm calling him right now to tell him that I spent the night at your house and that for the rest of the day I'm going to be hanging out with Alice. Can you confirm all that if he calls and asks?"

"Sure." she said.

"Thank you so much, I definitely owe you one."

"No problem, but can I go back to sleep now?"

"Yes." I said right before we said our goodbyes.

I called my father and he believed everything I told him. Though he was slightly upset about why I hadn't thought to call last night he was glad I safe. He told me to have fun today and not stay out so late without letting him know again.

I handed Alice back her phone after I hung up with him and then ran upstairs to the bathroom to take a shower. To wash away all of Jacob's touches, all of his kisses, and all of the words spoken to me that I didn't want to hear from him. To wash away all the memories the best that I could. All but one.

Edward's kiss and the kindness he had offered me.

* * *

**Three things to do:**

**1. Review  
**

**2. Stop by my profile and check out the writing schedule**

**3. Come back here next Friday to see what happens next**

**Thank you for reading!**

**lots. of. love.**

**PLT!**

**~AliceSwift  
**


	5. Chapter 5: I Let Myself Trust You

**Hey everyone, enjoy this chapter. It's sort but I think you'll be surprised by the ending. The next chapter will be posted on time!**

**lots. of. love.**

**PLT!**

**~AliceSwift  
**_

* * *

_

_Desperation_  
_ There's danger in frustration_  
_ complicated words slippin' off of your tongue and ain't one of them the truth_  
_ I'm still desperate for you._

Miranda Lambert.

~Desperation.

* * *

I was out of the shower now, Alice had given me some clothes to borrow. We had made breakfast and were currently sitting on the couch watching a movie that was about half over.

Still, it was only close to nine o'clock and I had no idea when I would see Edward again.

"Where did you say Edward was again?"

"He just went to town for a few hours, he'll be back soon." she said and smiled. "I hope he'll be back soon though. I have to be at work at nine."

"You could still go." I said, wondering why she didn't want to leave me alone. "I mean, if Edward's supposed to be back soon then someone will be here with me."

She smiled at me, then turned to looked at me. "Listen, Bella I don't want you to think that I don't trust you here alone. I mean, it's not like I think you're going to go snooping through my house or something. It's just that, I've dealt with Jacob Black before." she looked down for a moment before bringing her eyes back up to meet mine. Trying to forget whatever memory hid behind her eyes, taking over her thoughts in triumph.

I understood what she meant.

"Oh, Alice." I said.

"It's okay. It happened a long time ago. We haven't lived here as long as some of the others so he saw me as something new and exciting. Long story short, I woke up next to him the morning after. And, even though he told me not to, I went home and told everyone. We went to court and, as you can imagine, he was proven not guilty." she looked down at her hands in her lap.

Even though he was guilty it was some story to prove that he really was. New girl in town, trying to find her way, maybe seeking attention. Pity being the brand, lying being the scheme. Besides, I could only picture the jury. People who saw Jacob as a straight laced kid who could never do any wrong, Alice being the newbie who no one could trust.

"What did you do?" I asked, hoping she didn't mind telling me.

"I moved on. I didn't let it bother me everyday. I tried not to think about it. Even still though, Jacob's a liar who's twisted beyond belief. However, he has his roots here, and mine aren't planted as deep. So, I let it go." she looked up at me. "I guess Edward's sort of protective now, so that's probably why he brought you here. I mean, not that he would do that for just anyone. He likes you Bella. I can tell." I felt a hot blush fade into my cheeks.

Edward came through the door then. He had grocery bags hanging off of him every which way.

"Okay," Alice said. "I have to go, but I'll see you later. Okay?" I nodded and before she left I thanked her for everything.

"You guys are just the best of friends now aren't you?" Edward asked sarcastically as I followed him into his kitchen to help him put things away.

"I wouldn't say that." I said. "We just have alot in common, that's all. We can talk about things."

"Terrible thing to have in common." he said, all glee gone from his eyes and tone.

"Yeah." I said, telling that he was angry by the way he just stood there, unmoving.

"I just don't understand what would drive him to do that to the most innocent of people. New girls, naive girls, who just want to fit in and he makes sure they stand out. He makes sure that he makes them feel like the whole town hates them. He makes the whole town-"

"Hey," I said, stopping his hands which were throwing groceries across the table. He had glass in his hand and that couldn't end well. "I'll be fine. I'll get over it."

"Well of course you will, that's not the point." Is it wrong to say that I was slightly hurt by that? I thought he was upset because I had been violated by Jacob. Now I wasn't quite sure what his reasoning was.

"What is the point, then?" I asked, letting go of his hand.

"That guy doesn't care about anyone but himself so why does everyone think he's so great?" I could tell her was going to go on but I stopped him.

"Wait, this is about popularity?"

"No, it's about morals."

"So, it's a people thing?"

He paused. "No, Bella, it's a Jacob Black thing." We just stared at eachother for a moment and I let that thought sink in.

Everything he had said last night, about how he didn't want to make me uncomfortable. How he kissed me. Had that all meant nothing? And what about the meadow? Obviously he wasn't just showing me around.

"Last night," I said and he sighed, not wanting to get into it. "We kissed and-"

"And it was a mistake. I shouldn't have."

"But you wanted to. I could tell."

"No Bella, I messed up. I didn't want you to feel embarrassed, so I kissed you because _you _wanted me to. Not because _I _ wanted to." I knew that was a lie. Wasn't it? I knew he had felt the same thing I had. He had to.

"The meadow? And when you asked me to dinner? That was just showing me around?"

"Of course it was Bella. I wanted to make you feel welcome." he looked at my eyes, realizing that I was on the edge of tears then spoke again. "I'm sorry if you thought that day that there was something between us."

"But there is." I said and he shook his head.

"I'm sorry but I don't feel anything for you. I mean, I know you like me but I wasn't going to mention it." he went back to the bags on the table. "I honestly thought you'd be gone by the time I got back."

"So, you don't like me?" I asked, voice small.

"Of course I do, but just as friends. I'm so sorry for leading you on like I did."

The thing was that he didn't look that sorry.

"No, Edward," I said as he looked over at me. "I'm sorry." I walked towards the door.

"Sorry for what, Bella, all you did was have a crush on me."

"No, I'm not sorry for that. I'm sorry because I let myself trust you." he looked confused. "I thought you were a good guy Edward, but you're no better than Jacob."

I left then, slamming the door as I did.

I walked the way home, finding my own way as I did.

The truth was that Edward wasn't as bad as Jacob, and I knew that. In the moment, though, I thought he was. He had crawled into my mind and I let him in, just like Jake. And just when I thought I could trust him, he turned on me.

Just like Jake did.

The thing was, that, most likely, if Edward came out of the house right now and told me he loved me...I probably would've believed him.


End file.
